Illuminated sign with edgeilluminated letters



Aug. 1, 1950 R. v. DIXON ILLUMINATED SIGN WITH EDGE-ILLUMINATED LETTERS Filed April 3, 1947 Jnventor fizzy/072 @1022 I WM (.Ittornegs Patented Aug. 1, 1950 1 ILLUMINATED SIGN WITH EDGE- ILLUMINATED LETTERS Ramon V. Dixon, Detroit, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application April 3, 1947, Serial No. 739,096

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an illuminated sign or display device.

An object of the invention is to increase the efficiency of a sign of this general character and to produce the visual effect of edge illumination without employing the normally fragile transparent materials employed in edge-illuminated signs.

An objectof the invention isto produce a sign embodying three-dimensional letters with the edges brightly illuminated and the faces dimly illuminated.

An object of the invention is to provide a durable sign of simple and economical construction wherein the parts are conveniently arranged for maintenance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from following the specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation view of an illuminated sign embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in perspective of the three-dimensional letters mounted on the panel.

Figure 4 is an enlarged and exploded fragmentary detail in perspective of the letters on the light shield.

Though edge-illuminated signs have many desirable features, such as high daylight visibility, they are fragile due to necessary employment of a transparent material, and they are expensive because the light source must be mounted along the edge of the transparent material. This expense is increased where the illuminated edge is not straight; The sign made in accordance with this invention produces the visual effect of edge illumination, but does not employ fragile materials, and employs a conventional light source.

The preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing consists of an ellipticalpanel 1c of suitable material, such as Wood, metal or fiberboard. The general outline of panel 10 may be shaped to simulate the users trade-mark or other pictorial shape. The perimeter of the panel In is framed with a moulding i I mounted on the front side of the panel. The inner edge of the moulding H is perpendicular to the panel I0 and has reflecting surface l2. The moulding H may be formed of chrome-plated sheet-metal U-shaped in cross section, as shown in Figure 2, with tabs 13 for suitably securing the moulding to the pgnel, and a flange 3! to provide a finished inside e ge.

The light source is provided by an elongated bulb or preferably a fluorescent light tube i positioned at the front of the panel ill with its center line in the plane of the outer edge of the moulding or just outside of said plane and mounted in conventional sockets iii, one at each end of the tube M. The sockets l5 extend through an aperture in panel [0 and are secured to the rear face of the panel it. The secured portion of the sockets iii, the electrical connections and the usual transformer are housed in the electrical outlet box it secured to the rear face of panel til. Suitable means, such as cord ll, provides the electrical connection for the light tube.

The light tube M is shielded from direct vision by the light shield [8 made of opaque material and mounted by supports ill on the front panel iii. A support it is employed adjacent each end of the light tube 14 and is preferably mounted just inside each bracket [5. Each bracket [9 is formed of a thin strip of spring metal of U shape with the base secured to the front of panel It and the ends of each leg bent outwardly to form a hook Zil. These hooks 2-9 engage suitable latch cleat elements secured to the rear face of shield I8 to support the shield detachably on the panel. The shield 18 may be removed to replace the light tube M merely by squeezing the legs of supports 9 to disengage the hooks 20 from latch cleats H.

The indicia comprising the main lettering of the sign is formed of three-dimensional letters 22 with a pronounced bevel 23 on all edges as shown in Figure 3. The letters are formed with the bevel 23 providing a light-reflecting surface in white or a light-color shade, while the face 24 of the letters has less reflecting capacity and is a darker shade of color. The letters 22 are preferably moulded of ceramic material with a highly glazed white surface on the bevel 23 and a darkcolored glaze, such as blue or black, on the face 24. The panel is painted a contrasting color such as orange, to provide a contrast to the color employed on the face of the letters.

The light from the tube I 4 illuminates the adjacent beveled edges of the letters 22 directly, and the remote beveled edges by reflection from surface l2 of the molding. The reflecting surface |2 of the moulding II is positioned substantially perpendicular to the panel I0 best to reflect light on the bevel edges 23 remote from the light. The combination of direct lighting and the reflected lighting at the edges of the panel Ill also provides substantially uniform illumination on this panel. The visual appearance of the letters, consisting of the illuminated dark face of the letters surrounded by the highly illuminated white bevel, is similar to edge-illuminated letters cut in transparent material and has the same high degree of visibility.

The light shield iii may be a pictorial representation as a part of the users tradennark or his product. To provide .addi-. tional indicia, such as letters 25 or design portion 3i parts may be cut out of the light shield and a sheet of transparent plastic material 28 secured over the entire surface of the light shield. The letters on the transparent sheet 26 may consist of transparent, light-colored or white outline portion 2i and a darker and partially transparent portion 28, to produce a visual effect similar to the three-dimensional letters 22. As a modified form of lettering, the portion of the sheet around the letters may be colored and opaque if it is desired to avoid the accurate cutting out of the letters in light shield 53. Support means, such as hooks or a wire stand 29, may be employed to position the sign suitable for display.

This preferred embodiment of a sign made in accordance with the invention is merely illustra tive of the generic inventive concept presented in the present application and defined in the claims. Thus numerous modifications and ,embodiments within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An illuminated sign, consisting of a panel, a moulding positioned along an edge of said panel and projecting forwardly of said panel, the inside face of said moulding having a refiecting surface, a light source substantially centrally located on said panel, a light shield positioned in front of said light source, means attached to said panel and supporting said light shield, indicia consisting of three-dimensional letters having pronounced beveled edges and a flat front face positioned on the panel between the light source and the moulding reflecting surface, said light source having a center of light emanation spaced from said panel slightly further than the face of said letters whereby the panel is uniformly illuminated directly and by reflection and the beveled edges of the letters are brightly illuminated directly on the side adjacent the light and by reflection on the side adjacent the moulding While the faces of the letters are dimly illuminated.

shaped to provide 2. An illuminated sign as defined in claim 1,

in which said three dimensional letters are of moulded ceramic material, the beveled edges being coated with a White glaze and the face being coated with a lark-colored glaze.

3. An illuminated sign as defined in claim 1 l in which said moulding is a strip of sheet-metal formed to a U-shaped cross section the outer leg of said U-shaped section being extended and secured to the edge of said panel, and the refiecting surface consists of a metallic plating and l is positioned substantially perpendicular to the panel.

4. An illuminated sign as defined in claim 1, in which said shield support means consists of a U-shaped strip of spring metal with the base thereof secured to the panel and having resilient legs extending outwardly from said panel, the ends or the legs of the U shape are oppositely bent to provide allochiral hooks,-latch allochiral cleats secured to said shield, said hooks engaging in said latch cleats to support said shield on the panel to shield said light source from direct vision.

5. An illuminated sign as defined in claim 1, in. which said light shield is cut out to provide additional indicia, and a sheet of transparent plastic material covering said cut-outs.

6. An illuminated sign as defined in claim 1, in which said light source is located substantially in the plane of the front edge of said reflecting surface.

7, An illuminated sign as definedinclaim- 1, in which said reflecting strip on the moulding is perpendicular tosaid panel and extends outwardlyto the center line of said light source and said three-dimensional letters are ofmoulded ceramic material, the beveled-edges being coated with .a white glaze and. the. face being coated with a dark glaze.

8. Anv illuminatedsign as defined inclaim 1, in which said three-dimensional letters have light-colored, light-reflecting beveled edges and dark-colored light-absorbing face surfaces.

9. An illuminated. sign, consisting of a panel, a light source located substantially centrally on said panel, a lightshield positioned in front of said light source to shield the light-from direct vision, reflecting means positioned along an edge of said panel to reflect light tothe panel, beveled three-dimensional. letters positionedin saidl a fil between the light and said'reflecting means, said light source having a center .of light emanation spaced from the panel surface slightly more than the thickness of said letters whereby the panel is uniformly illuminated and, the bevel on the letters is brightly illuminated on the nearside directly and on the far side .by reflection while the face of the letters is dimly illuminated.

RA IXON- REFERENCES CITED The following referencesgare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1" 570,313 Lake Oct. 2'7, 1-896 979,969 Kretz Dec. 27, 1910 1,246,500 Tucker Nov. '13, 1917 1,316,476 Carse- Sept. 16, 1919 1,874,313 Langley Aug. 30., I932 1,884,335 Standish. .Oct. .25, 19.3.2 1 4 lO.QkL. NOW-r11 1.9 6.3 9 oy e .-ea----.- 2, .19 2,155,936 Fuller Apr.'25, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS b r Coun y Da e.

483,034 Germany Nov. 16, 1929 

